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MIXED REACTION TO KRAFT IN HARTFORD; WILL TEAM TWEAK DEAL?

          The proposed deal for a Patriots stadium in Hartford
     "failed to gain substantial momentum Wednesday after an
     extraordinary day of hearings and intense private meetings
     at the state Capitol," according to Swift & Daly of the
     HARTFORD COURANT, who write that a "majority of legislators
     appeared to still support the plan."  But a "mountain of
     questions" still stands "between legislators and a vote
     scheduled Tuesday."  CT Gov. John Rowland and Patriots Owner
     Robert Kraft "offered no significant concessions" while
     being questioned by legislators, which "didn't help their
     case."  Despite the "hostile questioning," Kraft, along with
     his son, team VP Jonathan, "said they were pleased with the
     legislative reaction."  Jonathan Kraft: "We want the
     legislators to ask hard questions" (HART. COURANT, 12/10). 
          REVISITING LANGUAGE? In N.Y., Mike Allen writes that
     the Krafts received "sharp and occasionally argumentative
     questioning."  Robert Kraft: "This deal has been portrayed
     by some as a sweetheart deal, and I don't think that we've
     done a good job getting the message out on this deal.  That
     just isn't true" (N.Y. TIMES, 12/10).  In Boston, Tina
     Cassidy cites people "familiar with the deal" saying the
     team "was willing to make concessions that would lower the
     state's potential liability, but nothing so drastic that it
     would endanger the proposal" (BOSTON GLOBE, 12/10).    
          TOUGH TALK? In Boston, Michael Holley writes that the
     Krafts "must have been like grade-schoolers trying to
     contain their giggles as legislators asked their 'tough'
     questions.  That was it?  This was the war?  What a tame
     confrontation. ... Connecticut proved its pro sports naivete
     the entire day and evening.  The hearing did not expose a
     community willing to go to war with Kraft.  Far from it. 
     The hearing exposed a desperate city" (BOSTON GLOBE, 12/10).
          REPORT CARDS: A new report from the CT General
     Assembly's Office of Fiscal Analysis shows that a stadium
     for the Patriots in Hartford "could cost Connecticut
     taxpayers hundreds of millions of dollars."  The
     "nonpartisan office" found that there "are too many unknown
     variables to say for certain whether the project will be
     successful," as "the most likely scenario" has CT taxpayers
     paying $257M over 30 years for the stadium.  The report
     "contradicts -- and finds several faults with" a study done
     by KPMG Peat Marwick which said that the stadium "will pay
     for itself with tax revenues generated by football games and
     other stadium-related economic activity."  The Peat Marwick
     report "was the basis" for Rowland deal with Kraft.  But the
     HARTFORD COURANT's Ohlemacher & Haar write that the General
     Assembly report "is likely to carry more weight with
     lawmakers."  The General Assembly report found "one
     fundamental flaw" in the KPMG report: it "does not provide
     any analysis on the level of interest -- from fans and
     corporations" in the NFL in Hartford (HART. COURANT, 12/10).
     

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